Vehicle Occupant Detection Scope Switching to Cut Processing Load

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing occupant detection systems face a heavy processing load when detecting both a driver and a passenger in a vehicle, as they require simultaneous processing on all seats, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.

Innovation Solution

An occupant detection device and system that includes an imaging device, an image obtainer, an occupant detector, and a detection target determiner to selectively detect either the driver or both the driver and passenger based on vehicle information, reducing unnecessary processing by determining the detection target dynamically.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If occupant detection processing is performed on all seats every time to detect both driver and passenger, then detection completeness is improved, but processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection completenessVSAvoidprocessing load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The detection target determination is made dynamic rather than static. The system adaptively changes the detection scope based on vehicle state (driving mode, seatbelt status, door status) to balance detection completeness with processing efficiency. When the vehicle is in driving mode with driver seatbelt fastened, only driver detection is performed; otherwise, both driver and passenger detection are performed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the detection parameter (detection target scope) based on vehicle operating conditions. By monitoring vehicle state parameters (driving mode, seatbelt status, door status), the system adjusts whether to detect only the driver or both driver and passenger, thereby optimizing processing load while maintaining necessary detection coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If occupant detection processing is performed on all seats every time to detect both driver and passenger, then detection accuracy is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic detection with varying intensity based on vehicle state. In driving mode, detection is performed periodically but only on the driver seat. In other modes, detection is performed on all seats. This periodic adaptive detection reduces average processing time while maintaining accuracy when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The detection scope is dynamically adjusted based on real-time vehicle state, allowing the system to switch between full detection (all seats) and selective detection (driver only) modes, thereby optimizing the balance between detection accuracy and processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12374129B2Occupant detection device, occupant detection system, and occupant detection method

Publication Date: 2025.07.29 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

There is provided an occupant detection device with a reduced processing load.An occupant detection device includes an image obtainer to obtain a captured image from an imaging device including, in an imaging range, a driver present in a driver seat of a vehicle and a passenger present in a passenger seat or a rear seat of the vehicle, an occupant detector to obtain the captured image from the image obtainer, the occupant detector being capable of detecting the driver and the passenger in the captured image, and a detection target determiner to determine whether a detection target of the occupant detector is one of occupants of the driver and the passenger or both of the occupants of the driver and the passenger.